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REMARKS 



HON. WILLIAM A. lEWELL, 

OF NEW JERSEY, 



THE DEATH OF SENATOR WRIGHT. 



HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, DECEMBER 18, 1866. 



DEATH OF BEKATOR WRIGHT, 



A message having been received from the Senate 
announcing the death of Hon. "William Wbight— 
Mr. NEWELL said : 

Mr. Speaker : I did not move a considera- 
tion of the resolutions of the Senate announcing 
the death of Senator Wright when received 
this morning, on account of the absence of my 
colleague from the fifth district, [Mr. Wright,] 
who was his immediate Representative, and 
to whom properly belongs the sad privilege ; 
but as he is still absent and may not be present 
during the day and further delay be construed 
into disrespect to the deceased, I move we pro- 
ceed to the consideration of the resolutions ; 
and I will say in vindication of the apparent 
i neglect of my friend, [General Wright,] that 
I the death was inadvertently announced in the 
Senate without consultation with the members 
of the House, and no arrangement was made 
I for any order iu the notice of the death. In- 
deed I learned accidentally that the announce- 
ment was transpiring in the Senate on yester- 
day, and have to regret the lack of proper 
opportunity to prepare a more suitable obit- 
uary of the deceased. 

The SPEAKER. The Clerk will read the 
resolutions. 

The Clerk read as follows : 

In the Senate op the United States, 
December 17, 1866. 
Resolved, That the Senate has heard with deep 
sensibility the announcement of the death of Hon. 
William Wuight. while a Senator in Congress from 
the State otiVev Jersey. 

liesolved. That as a testimonial of respect for the 
memory of the deceased, the members of the Senate 
will wear the usual badge of mourning for thirty 
days. 

1 liesolved. That these proceedings be communicated 
to the family of the deceased by the Secretary of the 
Senate. 

■ Resolved, That as a further marlc of respect to the 
memory of the deceased the Senate do now adjourn. 
Ordered, That the Secretary communicate these 
resolutions to the House of Representatives. 
Attest: J. W. JFORNEY, 

Secretary. 



Mr. NEWELIij Mr. Speaker, in fconformity 
with an appropriate and impressive usage the 
Representatives of a great nation pause in the 
midst of their deliberations to consecrate a day 
to the memory of a deceased associate and 
friend, and I crave the indulgence of the House 
while I occupy a brief period of the time allotted 
the mournful ceremonies of this occasion^o offer 
my tribute of homage and respect to the mem- 
ory of one who was an honored citizen and 
Senator of the State which it is my privilege in 
part to represent. 

Again and again has death invaded these 
Halls.- In the providence of God these fre- 
quent visitations come to warn us that we 
fnay not hope exemption from the inexorable 
decree that "in the midst of life we are in 
death," and that "be ye also ready" is the 
solemn admonition announced to us from child- 
hopd to the grave, in tones not to be misunder- 
stood, by*the great and the lowly, as they suc- 
cessively journey into the dark valley "where 
each must take his chamber in the silent halls 
of death." The higher the position, the more 
eminent the character of him we may be called 
upon to mourn, the more impressive is the 
lesson designed to be taught and the greater 
heed should we give to the admonition. 

William Wright, late Senator from the 
State of New Jersey, died at his residence in 
the city of Newark on the 1st day of November 
last, in his seventy-seventh year, after a pro- 
tracted and distressing illness, in the midst of 
his own devoted and affectionate household, in 
the full exercise of his mental faculties, with 
an abiding and unshaken faith in the Christian 
religion, and the cherished hope of a blissful 
immortality. 
His father, a physician of great learning and 



reputation, designed him for one of the pro- 
fessions, and had placed him 'at a classical 
school preparatory to a college course, when, 
suddenly departing this life, the son was thrown 
upon his own resources, and his necessities 
compelled him to seek a mechanical occupa- 
tion which promised earlier and more remuner- 
ative returns for his labor. 

In 1822 he became a resident of New Jer- 
sey, and for many years devoted his entire 
energies assiduously to business, and rapidly 
assumed the leading position in trade and 
commercial circles. He subsequently estab- 
lished branches of his house in all the promi- 
nent cities of the South, and became widely 
known throughout the country as a wealthy 
and eminently successful manufacturer and 
merchant. 

Upon retiring from active participation in 
the business of his firm he entered public life, 
was repeatedly made mayor of his city, was 
twice elected a Representative in Congress 
from a district remarkable for the enterprise 
and intelligence of its citizens, was a candi- 
date for the office of Governor, and twice 
appointed by the Legislature of his State to a 
seat in the Senate of the United States. Pew 
men, indeed, can boast of such a succession 
of honorable positions. Examples like his 
will shine out in the pages of our history aag 
beacons to guide American youth to honor- 
able fame. He was the architect of his own 
fortune. He cleared, by the force of his own 
strong will and determined hand, the rugged 
pathway of his early life, and attained an 
exalted place and high distinction among his 
fellow-men, with none of the advantages which 
attach to birth and education, but by applica- 
tion and industry, by an honest and honorable 
course he formed his own character and dis- 
tinction, and has left them as a rich inherit- 
ance to his descendants. 

As a legislator Mr. Wkight was diffident and 
cautious of speech and seldom thrust himself 
upon the notice of the Senate or House, and 
indeed rarely rose to speak ; but among those 
who could truly appreciate such qualities his 
sterling good sense, his practical wisdom, his 
unerring judgment and tact, did not fail to 
stamp him as a man, who in many of the qual- 
kiea that go furthest to constitute worth for 



the practical duties of legislation, had few 
equals. His public duties were foithfully per- 
formed, and he was ever true to the principles 
he sought to represent. While he knew no 
fear or hesitation in the expression of his own 
political views, he extended the largest tol- 
erance and charity to all who held different 
sentiments. Indeed his was true charity, 
striving to do good as he had opportunity and 
to speak evil of none. 

He was possessed of great urbanity of man- 
ner and dignity of deportment, and never 
violated the characteristics of a gentleman in 
his intercourse with the world; while in all 
those more intimate and tender relations which 
bound him to his friends and his kindred he 
was all that friendship could ask, or affection 
claim, or humanity or kindness demand, and 
in that higher and more solemn relation which 
he bore to the Author of us all he sought to be 
exact in the duties enjoined by the sacred 
behests of religion, and in the closing scenes 
of life's flickering, final hour he leaned with 
humble trust upon the merits of his Saviour.l 
Calmly he confronted the grim messenger and ' 
with Christian dignity resigned him to his fate. 

I knew him well, Mr. Speaker, and find a 
mournful pleasure in paying this just tribute 
to his memory and his virtues. He has passed 
through the vicissitudes of a long and eventful 
life. He has met and manfully fulfilled the 
duties allotted to him on earth, and left us to 
follow a little longer the shadows which hehas 
exchanged for unutterable realities. Death 
came to him in the ripeness of Ms years, in 
the fullness of his honors, and no stain rests 
upon ^is honored name. His life was full of 
moral beauty, and with mingled feelings of 
respect and sorrow we commemorate his vir- 
tues and lament his death. 

I beg leave to offer for adoption the following 
resolutions: 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives has 
received with deep sensibility the intelligence of tho 
death of Hon. William Wright, late a Senator in 
Congress from the State of New Jersey. 

Resolved, That as a mark of respect for the mem- 
ory of the deceased, the members and ofiScers of this 
House will go into mourning by wearing crape on the 
left arm for thirty days. 

Resolved, That as a further mark of respect for 
the memory of the deceased, the House do now 
adjourn. 

The resolutions were unanimously adopted, 
and the House adjourned. 



Printed at the Congressional Qlobe Office. 



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